Life is a Highway
by paisleymom
Summary: If Logan and Marie met, but there was no X Men and no Sabertooth. Just two people in a cold Canadian winter.
1. A Cold Canadian Night

It was cold. The thermometer hanging outside the dive bar read -5 C, but fuck if Marie knew what that was in Fahrenheit. Sometime in school she'd learnt a conversion, but she was too tired and hungry and just plain _depressed_ to even care.

It was hot and smelly inside the bar, and for a moment she considered going right back into the cold. But the trucker who had dropped her a mile down the road when she'd had to use her power on him…he was very insistent on "payment" for the ride…had told her to enjoy freezing as there wasn't a town for miles. "Your frigid ass will enjoy it!" he'd called as he pulled away. At least she'd been able to grab her duffle bag as she fell from the cabin.

There was a large cage in the back of the bar. She made her way to the counter and ordered a water, scanning the crowd for anyone who didn't look like an absolute freak. Of course, she'd learned the hard way that you can't tell from people's outsides what they'll try and make you do once you're alone with them. Too many times she'd come close to being raped. One guy had told her he was a serial killer, and when he pulled a knife on her she thought it was probably the truth.

An announcer stood in front of the cage and turned on a squealing microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're ready for a good show tonight! The Wolverine is back and taking on all challengers!"

The _Wolverine_? thought Marie. Ain't they those vicious stinky animals that tear everything up? Who would want to name themselves after that?

A man strode to the cage, tearing a white tee shirt over his head and flinging it to a stool. He wasn't very tall, but his shoulders had to be at least three times the width of Marie's. She noticed his defined muscles. Damn, dude works out! She thought. He turned and looked right at her. His gaze was intense and she couldn't look away. He was probably twice her age and clearly the type Mama had always told her to stay away from. But Mama had not said a thing when Daddy had sent little Marie packing, so what did Mama know?

The large man finally look away as he entered the cage. "And in this corner," the announcer continued, "the undefeated, unbeatable, unstoppable, _Wolverine_!" Hot Damn! Thought Marie.

She watched, intent, as challenger after challenger went up against the Wolverine…and as challenger after challenger fell. Every so often, she caught him looking at her, a smug grin ghosting around his mouth.

The night dragged on and drunken people slinked out the door into the frozen Canadian winter night. The Wolverine exited the cage, pulled on his shirt, and ambled to the bar stool next to Marie. "That all you're having?" he asked, gesturing at the water she'd been nursing for close to three hours.

She looked down. "Ah don't have any money."

"Give her a hot chocolate, Lou," he directed at the bartender, "and gimme a Molson and rye whisky. Leave the bottle." The bartender scurried to fill the fighter's order.

"Thank you," Marie said, glancing up again to the Wolverine's intense hazel stare.

"What is a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he asked, throwing back half the Molson.

Marie smiled. "Is that meant to be a pick up line? Cuz I hear that all the time."

The Wolverine leaned close and growled in her ear. "Baby, I don't need no pick up lines."

She shivered and nodded. No, you probably don't. Not at all. "Ah had a … disagreement…with a guy who was givin' me a ride. He wanted payment ah didn't wanna give. So he dropped me about a mile down the road. This was the first place Ah found with heat."

The Wolverine frowned. "He dropped you, in this weather? Wouldn't it have been easier to just give him a blow job or somethin'?"

"Ah don't do that. Not for just anybody!"

The Wolverine laid his hand on her upper thigh and squeezed. "No, I don't imagine you do."

Marie let him keep his hand there as she drank her hot chocolate. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Lou the bartender wiped glasses with a dirty dish towel.

"Can you give me a ride?" Marie asked.

"To where?"

"Anywhere."

The Wolverine looked her in the eyes and asked, "How you gonna pay me?"


	2. What's Your Name?

The girl…he hadn't asked her name yet…followed him out of the bar. "My truck is parked around back." He thought a moment. "You can ride with me a while." She had a nice rack and a really nice ass, but that wasn't the only reason he was taking her. She was too young and too…not of this lifestyle…to be left behind. She'd be dead by morning in this weather, and that's if she was lucky. He may be a bastard, but he wasn't _that_ much of a bastard.

A drunken male voice called out, "Hey, Wolverine! You think you're so tough. You come in here, beat the shit outta some idiots and take all our money. But I know what you are!"

He stopped, watching as four men came out of the darkness. He pushed the girl behind himself. "What's that?"

"A fuckin' _mutant_, that's what! And we don't like mutants come up here and fuckin' with us!"

The men came closer, and Wolverine noticed at least two of them had weapons. Shit. Nothing for it, he thought, and popped his claws. He heard the girl gasp as five nine-inch adamantium blades slide from between his knuckles. "I guarantee there will be no fuckin' going on here, fellas."

Two of the men took off running. The loud mouth use the liquid courage that had not run down his leg at the sight of the claws to say, "You see! He's a fuckin' mutant! Fuckin' animal!"

Wolverine laughed. "Don't you know it's not a good idea to play with wild animals?"

The drunk charged, and Wolverine easily caught him up in the claws. As the body fell, Wolverine heard the muffled scream of the girl. The second man had rushed behind him while he was distracted and was dragging the girl behind the building. Wolverine turned and strode forward, but stopped when he realized the man was slowing. He watched as the man stopped, turned grey, and slumped forward, knocking the girl to the ground and pinning her under his body.

Retracting the claws, Wolverine tossed the man's body aside and helped the girl up. "So, your power is…?"

She looked at his face carefully, and he could smell her fear. "Ah have poison skin. Ah can suck the life out of people. But Ah can control it!" she added quickly.

She doesn't want to scare me away, he thought. Here I am, the fearsome Wolverine, and this 90 pound girl thinks I'm going to be afraid of her.

"That is pretty handy. Let's go." Is all he said, leading her to the truck and peeling out of the parking lot before police could be called. Last thing a pair of mutants need is police.

They were miles from the bar when Wolverine spoke again. "What's your name?"

"Rogue."

"The fuck kind of name is Rogue?" he chuckled.

"The fuck kind of name is Wolverine?" she returned. He chuckled louder. Tough little thing.

"My name is Logan."

"Marie."

Logan noticed her rubbing her hands together and turned on the heat. "Nice to meet you, Marie. How did a Southern girl like you end up in Canada?"

She told him how her father had packed her bag and pushed her out the door with a hundred dollars in her hand when her powers had come in. She'd been on the receiving end of her first kiss and put her neighbor boy in a coma. She told Logan how she'd been on the road at least eight months, but she wasn't sure because she didn't know exactly what day it was.

Logan was pissed. He growled deep in his throat. He could feel the Wolverine pushing into his mind. This was not a typical bar hopping bitch. This was an innocent young girl who was just like him. A mutant.

"You hungry? When's the last time you ate?" He needed to get his mind off the things he'd like to do to Marie's father. Starting with using his claws to make sure he never had any more children.

"Um…two days ago, maybe? Yes, Ah'm starvin'!" Marie smiled, a real smile, and both Logan and the Wolverine felt a pull.

He pulled into an all night diner and told her to order anything she wanted. She hesitated. "Ah don't wanna sound ungrateful, Logan, but Ah…Ah don't know what you want from me. Ah've been on the road almost a year and ain't nobody done shit for me without expecting something."

Logan nodded. "Right now, I want you to eat. Then, I'm going to rent a motel room, and you're going to shower and sleep. Tomorrow, you're going to go to the Laundromat and wash our clothes while I drink some beer."

"And then?"

"And then we'll probably want to eat again. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, kid."

Marie nodded and ordered.

The motel was seedy and dirty, just like all the other motels he'd been in over the years. "You can shower first," he told Marie. She dug through her bag and pulled out clothes that looked moderately clean.

She gestured to the sole bed in the room. "Ah…Ah think…"

"It was the only room they had. I ain't expecting anything."

Marie visibly relaxed. "Okay. Sorry."

Logan lit a cigar and lounged on the bed. "Don't worry about it."

He couldn't help but picture her in the shower. He'd gotten a pretty good look at her once she'd removed her hoody, and though she was very thin he could tell she had a killer body. But he didn't want to scare her off. Even though he could just picture water running down between her lush breasts, down her flat stomach, between her legs…he was starting to get hard. Shit. Nice way to "not scare her", Logan. He turned on the television and concentrated on a random hockey game.

She came out with her hair wrapped in a towel, her teeshirt showing her bra-less breasts and her sweat pants riding low enough to reveal a ribbon of smooth skin Logan desperately wanted to taste. He watched as she bent over her bag, her sweatpants doing nothing to disguise the round ass that Logan could just imagine running his hands over…

"You okay, sugah?" she asked, running a brush through her wet hair.

"Um, yah. I'm gonna shower, darlin'. Don't touch my beer."


	3. Mine

Marie tried not to tense as Logan slid into the bed behind her. His arm draped over her waist and she felt him curl up behind her, his erection nudging her bottom. _Damn, damn, damn!_ She thought. _Ah can do this. Ah really can. Ah've survived this long, aint nothing can stop me. People do this every day._

Pep talk in mind, she slowly turned under his heavy arm until they were face to face. She met his intense gaze and melted. Leaning forward, she kissed him.

She was on her back under Logan before she knew what happened. "Marie…" he groaned, kissing her again, deeply. She wound her hands around his neck, instinctively lifting her legs and tightening them around his waist. His hand slid under her top and squeezed her right breast, while the other began pulling down the back of her sweat pants, revealing her ass.

Marie caressed his face before sliding her hand down his side. She reached between them and to the waistband of his jeans, popping the button. He groaned again, releasing her breast to unzip himself. He shimmied his jeans down his hips, then grasp her hand and brought it to his penis. She drew her hand over the hot, hard flesh and he shuddered.

"Ah want to feel you, Logan. Hot and hard…" she whispered, flushing. He pulled back and tore her shirt over her head. His mouth rained kisses down her neck to her breast, where he suckled. His right hand wandered down her belly, between her legs, pushing her sweatpants off. She tried to draw her legs back around his waist but his firm grip stopped her.

"You done this before, baby?" His voice was rough, his eyes dark.

She shook her head. "B…but, Ah know Ah can't get pregnant unless I wanta. Mah skin…if Ah turn it on…." He nodded, eyes closed for a moment.

Marie felt him lift her ass and his shaft probed her. She gasped as he shoved in, breaking through her innocence in one swift movement. His mouth fell to the junction of her shoulder and neck. "Mine!" he growled, impaling her with his teeth. She screamed, fearful, as he began to wildly pump.

He pounded into her again and again, his teeth tearing her flesh. It hurt, a lot more than she thought it would have, and all of the good feelings he'd given her began to drift away in the pain. She felt tears prick her eyes, her nails digging into his biceps where she grasped him.

Harder and harder Logan slammed his hips into hers, until finally going rigid and shaking. She felt hot liquid spurt against her insides and his teeth tightened once more on her neck. He groaned, deep and long, and shuddered twice more before relaxing on top of her. Releasing her neck, he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry," he said. "I got carried away. Next time…next time, will be better."

She tried in vain to take a deep breath. He was very heavy. "Okay," she whispered. "It's okay."

He drew back and looked into her eyes. "I meant what I said though. You're mine now. I won't ever let you go."

Marie sucked her breath in over her teeth. "What if…you get tired of meh? You don't know meh!"

Logan chuckled and slid to her side, moving so that he was once again curled against her back, his penis resting in the crack of her ass and his hand clutching her stomach. "I won't get tired of ya."

"But...". She tried to think of words to convey how _wrong_ this felt.

"Marie." His tone was forceful, and he pulled her tighter against his body. "Ain't nothing you can say to change it. You knew what you were doing. _You_ chose this." She wasn't sure if he was convincing her or himself. "Get used to the idea."


	4. Get Used to the Idea

Logan nuzzled his face into her hair and relaxed. His thumb made circles on her belly. He fell asleep like that.

He awoke to Marie trying to squirm out from under his arm. The sun was low in the sky. Morning. She stiffened when she realized he was awake. "Ah hafta use the bathroom, Logan," she said quietly. He nodded and released her, watching as she collected clothing and walked across the room. The smear of blood on her thighs made him smile.

She returned and lay on her back in the bed, a few inches between their bodies. Logan decided he would allow her that space.

"I got a cabin outside White Horse, just over the border into Alaska." She turned and met his gaze. "That's where we're heading. We'll winter there."

Concern and a bit of fear shown in her eyes. He reached out and caressed her face. "What's wrong?" He clamped down on the anxiety growing in his stomach.

"Nothin', sugah. This is just…a little sudden." Marie looked over his shoulder, avoiding his eyes.

The anxiety turned into anger. "Sudden? Sudden like me promising you I didn't want nothin' and then you…touching me like that? Sudden like savin' your ass from freezing or starvin' to death? Or sudden like you're gonna leave?"

Her eyes were wide and he could smell her fear. "No, no Logan! Ah'm not gonna leave! It's just that…"

"It's just _what_, Marie?" he bit out. He sat up and moved to lean against the headboard, gazing down at her.

"Ah've never even had a boyfriend before!" she said, rising to face him on her knees. "Ah don't…don't know what Ah'm doing! Ah've been alone on the road for almost a year. Then Ah I meet you and suddenly you say…suddenly Ah'm staying with you? Ah just…just don't know what Ah'm supposed to do or think. That's all." She moved closer to him and ran her hand up and down his forearm. "Ah want to go with you, Logan, Ah really do." He could smell deception. "Ah just…"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Her fear was really pissing him off. As though he would ever hurt her. "Look. Relax here today. I'll go the coin op and be back in a few hours with lunch." He stood and pulled his jeans on. Slipping on his shirt, he leaned down and kissed her lips. Taking her chin in his hand, he drew her face up to look in her eyes. "I'll take care of everything." She nodded, but he could still smell her fear.

Gathering their clothes, his wallet, and the keys to the truck, he left her sitting on the bed, staring into space.


	5. I Love You

_Okay,_ Marie thought. _Let's consider the situation logically. Logic keeps us alive. _She pondered the positives. _He's hot. He cares. He's got money and no one is going to hurt me with him around. I won't have to use my skin, he will just gut 'em. He's got a place to live. And a running truck. He wants to take care of me. But..._the negatives followed quickly_...I don't know him from Adam. Obviously he's got a control issue. Possibly an anger issue. And claws. Anger and claws. In a cabin, in Alaska, snowed in all winter. He's got my clothes. I have no money and I don't know for sure where we are. I think he'd find me if I ran. Would he? _She remembered the depth of his eyes as he'd told her she belonged to him. _Yea, he definitely would find me. So what do I do?_

She thought of her Momma. Daddy would beat her until Momma would crawl over to him, start stroking his ego. Touching him. She'd tried that when he'd thrown Marie out. Hadn't worked, but it had so many other times. _It would work with Logan. Keep him happy. Can't lie though; he can tell when I'm lying. I'll focus on what I like. His body. His smile. Taking care of me. _

A few hours later, Logan returned. Tossing the bag of clean clothes on the table, he handed her a Styrofoam container. "Eat, baby."

Marie set the container on the dresser. "Can Ah talk ta ya for a second, first? Please?" Stepping close to him, she ran her hands lightly up his chest and around his neck.

He slid his hands around her waist. "What's up?"

"Ah wanta apologize for upsetting you earlier. Ah don't want you to think...don't think ah don't wanna be here or somethin'. That ain't it, not at all." Running her hand up to his hair, she twined her fingers and gently drew his lips to hers. His tongue slid into her mouth and his grip tightened on her. A few moments later she drew back. "Ah wanta go with you to your cabin, Logan. Ah'll go with you anywhere, suge."

Logan smiled broadly. "Go ahead and eat now, baby. Gonna fight tonight, then we'll head to White Horse in the mornin'. That okay?"

She nodded and drew away from him. Her cheeseburger and fries were cold, but tasted wonderful. She hadn't eaten much in the past few days. Logan watched her eat, drinking a Molson. "You want anything else? I can run back to the diner."

"Oh, no, thank you sugar. I'm good." She stood, clearing her trash. Dropping a kiss on his messy brown hair as she passed, she slid her hand down his bicep, feeling the hard muscles under the flannel. "Ah'm gonna fold the clothes."

Logan nodded. "I was thinkin', baby. You need a better coat. And boots. Surprised you haven't got frostbite yet, walking around in sneakers."

"Logan, thank you! You don't hafta do that!"

"Course I do. Told ya I'm gonna take care of ya."

She placed the shirt she had just folded on the pile and moved to him. Marie crawled up the bed until she straddled his hips where he sat reclined against the headboard. "You're just the sweetest thing, aren't ya, suge?" Slowly, she undid the buttons on his shirt, starting from the bottom. She could feel him becoming hard under her bottom. Lightly, she rotated her hips against his crotch. His eyes darkened and his breath quickened.

Marie opened his shirt and dropped a kiss on his sternum. Glancing up, she saw his eyes were closed. She could feel him trembling under her. She felt...powerful. This man would could drop a bear without breaking a sweat was _trembling_, because of _her_. Little ole Marie from Meridian.

She sat back and waited until his eyes opened to pull her shirt off over her head. Logan's hips jerked up against hers and his hands clenched in the sheets, his beer forgotten and emptying on the filthy rug. She rotated her hips again and he groaned. Grasping his left hand, Marie brought it up to her mouth. Laving his index finger with her tongue, she watched as his eyes darkened even more. He was _shaking_ and she felt exhilarated.

"Marie." The word was a plea, his voice rough. He growled as she brought his hand from her mouth to her breast. The nipple hardened as his calloused fingers pinched it. Marie heard herself moan. Pleasure shot through her and she pulled Logan's face to her breast. His velvety tongue ran across her nipple and his lips closed on it.

"Oh, Logan," she breathed. His erection dug into her thigh. "Ah want..." she gasped as his teeth grazed her. "Ah want ya inside me, baby. Please."

Logan growled and rolled them until he was kneeling above her, his mouth still latched to her breast. His hands slid down her sides and pushed her pajama bottoms down. He dragged his tongue down her chest and stomach to her mound. He pressed her thighs apart with his large hands and she made a strangled moan as his tongue parted her folds. Lacing her fingers in his thick hair, she pulled his face closer as she raised her hips. Logan's tongue continued circling her nub until he suddenly drew it into his mouth. She screamed as she came, hard, and he ran his tongue down, catching her juices. His growl reverberated through her body and she came again, moaning.

She panted, shaking, as he removed his jeans and crawled up between her legs. He slid into her and she moaned again, her thighs clenching around his waist. Each thrust brought her closer and closer to another orgasm and she felt his heart thudding. "Marie...Marie...my Marie..." he panted in her ear. The pure longing in his voice undid her and she shook against him, crying his name. He stiffened and thrust, hard and deep. Warm fluid spurted inside her and ran out and down to her ass.

"I love you, baby," Logan whispered, resting his sweaty body against hers.

"Ah love you, too, Logan," she whispered back, running her hand up and down his back, and meant it.


End file.
